McCain Can't Catch A Break

Washington Post: GOP Candidate Is Still Waiting For His Turn At Good Luck On The Campaign Trail

(Washingtonpost.com)  This story was written by Michael D. Shear.

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It seemed like a great way to counter Obamamania. Sen. John McCain would board a helicopter in New Orleans today, skim quickly over the Gulf of Mexico and land on an oil rig -- a made-for-TV moment to highlight his call for offshore drilling, an issue that Republicans believe will be a big winner in November.

Then came Hurricane Dolly, a Category 2 storm that made a helicopter ride impossible. And then, improbably, a 600-foot oil tanker collided with a barge on the Mississippi River, creating a 12-mile oil slick and causing diesel fumes to waft over the city's French Quarter. The trip was off.

In this campaign, it seems, McCain just can't catch a break.

Through a series of missteps, gaffes and bad luck, the presumptive Republican presidential nominee has endured a difficult week in what has been a choppy campaign. He now has no major event to offset Sen. Barack Obama's speech at Berlin's famed Victory Column, where a huge turnout is expected. Instead, he will be in Columbus, Ohio, speaking at a nighttime cancer event.

"An extra day spent in Ohio is not really a problem," senior aide Mark Salter said, insisting that a bit of bad luck does not make a trend, even as the campaign was scrambling to fill the time.

"There's a hurricane; we had to cancel an event," he said with a shrug after McCain spent a rainy day in northeast Pennsylvania attending a town hall meeting in Wilkes-Barre and a fundraiser, and commiserating with a couple at a grocery store in Bethlehem about the high price of food. "That's not something that's going to happen every day. I'm not going to worry about it."

Before his overseas trip, Obama faced questions about the wisdom of his pledge to remove U.S. troops from Iraq within 16 months of taking office, should he be elected. But as the week began, Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki appeared to endorse that timeline, and the Bush administration said that it supports a "time horizon" for withdrawing troops. Suddenly, it was McCain who was forced to explain his opposition to the withdrawal plan.

Meanwhile, Obama's trip to the war zones in Afghanistan and Iraq, followed by stops in Jordan, Israel and Europe, created a media frenzy, dominating the morning and evening network shows, cable chatter and the front pages of newspapers. The McCain campaign grumbled about the media's "love affair" with Obama, even doling out "Junior Varsity" badges to reporters who were "left behind" to cover the Republican. But it was McCain who invited the situation, after mocking Obama for weeks for not visiting Iraq and Afghanistan as a presidential candidate.

On the other side of the world, Obama seemed blessed with perfect weather and perfect timing.

At one stop, the senator from Illinois was filmed in a Kuwaiti gym shooting a basketball from behind the three-point line. Handing a microphone away, he dribbled a bit, struck a couple of poses for the troops, and warned, "I may not make the first one, but I'll make one eventually." He then let it fly.

Swish.

The competing visual from McCain was the 71-year-old senator riding in a golf cart during his visit to Kennebunkport, Maine, to meet with George H.W. Bush at the former president's retreat.

McCain also made a series of small gaffes this week, referring to the "Iraq-Pakistan border" and later to the country of "Czechoslovakia," neither of which exist. And his mistaken comment yesterday that the troops increase in Iraq began a movement called the Awakening, which started months before the military buildup, forced a day of explanations from his campaign.

McCain's camp attempted to seize the spotlight, and maybe change his luck, this week after columnist Robert D. Novak suggested that an announcement of a vice presidential pick may- be imminent. It wasn't, but aides dragged it out for more than a day -- even after Novak said that the campaign leaked the rumor and that he may have been used to try to grab attention from Obama.

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VP Hot Sheet: McCain
CBSNews.com tracks the veepstakes buzz and ranks the top contenders. See who's number 1!

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McCain, who has been known to carry good-luck talismans -- a pair of L.L. Bean shoes, a feather, a flattened penny -- has had fortune smile on him now and again. The New York Times handed the senator from Arizona a public relations gift this week by rejecting an article he had submitted to the editorial page to counter one the paper ran from Obama last week, making it easy to bash the liberal media.

And on his recent trip to Colombia, McCain was in the right place at the right time as the government there announced a raid in which long-held hostages were released.

Despite his recent problems, McCain remains just six percentage points behind Obama, according to an NBC-Wall Street Journal poll released last night, unchanged from the survey's results a month ago.

Still, more pitfalls lie ahead.

As both campaigns look toward their conventions in late August and early September, observers have noted more than once that Obama's speech happens to be scheduled for Aug. 28, the 45th anniversary of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I Have a Dream" speech. McCain's speech, on the other hand, will fall on Sept. 4, the opening night of the NFL season, which features a game between the Washington Redskins and the Super Bowl champion New York Giants.

Staff writer Robert Barnes contributed to this report.

[mt_guy]

It''s unfortunate that Senator McCain does not command the media attention that his opponent does. Part of the reason why is shown in his reaction here in the video - it speaks volumes. If it were me being interviewed, I''d have doubled over laughing at the incongruity of it.

This is the primary difference between the McCain maverick of 2000 and the administration clone of today - his humanity is all but gone... along with his mental acuity and command of the issues.

Our choice for president becomes more clear with each passing day.

[aaabee-2009]

McCain has all the break he needs. He consented to have Rove''s people work his campaign. If that doesn''t "win" him the election, nothing will. He is no different than Bush. Some folks like that.

[bigal321321]

The folks on the far right scare me. They are either content with the current fascist regime or are afraid they''ll get a socialist one. Egad, what has America become? What ever happened to the best man for the job? This is your election, vote for who YOU think will do the best for the country as a whole (rich & poor & in-between). At this point, from the information I can gather, it looks like Obama will be the next President. He wants change, so do we (like 66% of us). He expresses hope, so do we. We hope for things like an end to the war and lower gas prices. What has Mr. McCain shown us? If he wants our vote he needs to do what every politician since the beginning of time has done, promise us something and then stick by the promise. Whoops, we''re talking McCain here, Mr. flip-flop himself. Hey, if the term was good enough for John Kerry it''s good enough for McCain.

[bfjones666]

McCain can''t catch a break? Is that why CBS is covering for yet another bone-headed statement by cutting and pasting your interviews with him? I say interviews because now that you have been caught doing it once, there''s no telling how many times this has transpired and your objectivity is now ZERO. I don''t come to CBS for news anymore, but I do check out your website to see how badly your bias shows.

[dnsallday]

For McCain to say that Senator Obama would rather "Lose a war, to win a campaign" is the worse thing I have ever heard anyone say. McCain has lost my vote forever!
Posted by Mslola58
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McCain has brought dishonor to our country and every single American with this statement.
And today he is using the wounded troops in the German hospital to distort the situation and use the wounded troops to score a cheap political shot. Disgusting.

[aggiekat2004]

As I like to point out...George W. is our first MBA president...Ivy League, at that.

[mh4cbs1]

McSame gets a free pass from corporate media. He has made so many gaffes, showing his senility, yet the media says nothing about this sad political hack. Instead they call this flip-flopper a ''maverick'', which is pure BS.

[stn_sage]

...He is not stand offish. He may seem that way at times when being interviewed by Cable TV desk clerks that ask him stupid questions. He is not interested in playing those games.

Posted by truthmatterz at 09:55 PM : Jul 24, 2008
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He is as far as I''m concerned. But, as previously stated, I don''t have to like the guy, to vote for him!
I''m content in knowing he''d do a better job than McCain, that''s good enough.

[jonesforch]

take a break from Internet and the news like My husband and I do. Then we go boating fishing and log on look at CBS and FOX and roll our eyes... and go back to fishing. It all comes out in the wash.


Posted by jonesforch at 11:42 PM : Jul 24, 2008

Posted by candyc4
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RIGHT ON!! A lot of the criticism of Obama does have a faint hint of racism around it, doesn''t it. Hello Ben Stien.
And McCain did sell himself out (along with the rest of us) didn''t he..

[stn_sage]

Posted by candyc4 at 10:07 PM : Jul 24, 2008
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Excellent post! I agree with all you said, lest
one thing. I do believe he has a touch of arrogance
in his attitude, but most politicians do, so I consider it unimportant!

Especially, if he appoints competent, quality people to the cabinet posts and subsidiary positions!

If I vote for him, it''s because I consider him more competent. Because I like McCain more! But, that doesn''t get the job done! And, there''s a BIG job do do now, thanks to Bush and Cheney!

[mslola58]

For McCain to say that Senator Obama would rather "Lose a war, to win a campaigne" is the worse thing I have ever heard anyone say. McCain has lost my vote forever!

[candyc4]

It is disturbing to see so many Americans dissing Obama, and never with anything concrete. Just assumptions, lies,and b.s. But it comes down to racism, doesn''t it? How can all those hillbillies look down on blacks if one is President?
I liked John McCain very much. I watched him on Jon Stewart and other shows and his humour and integrity were refreshing in a politician. Then to become President he sold his soul. How nice it would have been to see him remain a maverick in the GOP, fight his battles and let the world see his integrity could not be bought. Afterall, he was the most abused by the party under Bush, Cheney and Rove.
Now Americans have the chance to elect someone who will completely change the way the world feels about it. Obama is not arrogant. How could he be? He comes from the poor, disunified family . What he has he did himself with determination, intelligence and perserverence. McCain came from the millionaire family, just like that epitomy of arrogance--George W.
Do you just not get it? McCain''s even backing off the things that set him apart in the first place. He has become just another special interests republican.
Some of you will continue fighting for the party that favors the rich, denies the what big industry wants them to and lies to start wars,-just to scratch the surface. And you will still be paying billions to police Iran and pay off the militants to make it look successful.
Osama must be having a good laugh while he thumbs his nose.

[cyberus-2009]

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Ariel, I agree. Obama has no business running for the highest office in this country. The guy has zero experience and knows nothing. He can''''t even talk without a script! Ever hear him? Wowzers!He will hurt this country. Too bad there are so many NAIVE people who have their heads buried FIRMLY in the sand, when it comes to wanting him to win.

Posted by fervan
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And experience has given us what in the last 7.5 yrs?

[dnsallday]

Obama does at times appear to be standoffish, which is annoying. However, he is competent and we cannot afford another president who is any less than competent! After putting up with Bush all these years, I can tolerate ''''attitude'''' as opposed to incompetence---ANY DAY OF THE WEEK, my friend!

Posted by stn_sage at 09:16 PM : Jul 24, 2008
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I hope you get to see him at a campaign event, some day. He is not stand offish. He may seem that way at times when being interviewed by Cable TV desk clerks that ask him stupid questions. He is not interested in playing those games.

[starleo146]

One reason many pro-choice women are confused about McCain is because he has flip-flopped on the abortion issue.

In 1999, McCain said he backed Roe: "Certainly, in the short term, or even the long term, I would not support repeal of Roe v. Wade, which would then force X number of women in America to [undergo] illegal and dangerous operations."

But on NBC''s "Meet the Press" in May 2007, responding to a question about his statements in 1999, McCain said: "Well, it was in the context of conversation about having to change the culture of America as regards to this issue. I have stated time after time after time that Roe v. Wade was a bad decision."

[alohaone1]

%u201CI can no more disown him than I can disown the black community,%u201D said Obama. So then it is clear that Obama believes that Wright%u2019s ideas represent the black community and black experience in America when they represent only the radicalized fringe of black America that wants to aid America%u2019s enemies abroad. It is doubtful many black Americans who served proudly in the US military feel the same as Wright on this issue.


CAN ANY ONE EXPLAIN WHY SUCH A MESSIAH ASSOCIATED HIMSELF WITH SUCH HATRED FOR SUCH ALONG TIME ???? I did not remember Jesus preaching Hatred toward the Roman in any cases ?? Who did Wright learned it from and Why Obama hang around such out-dated and harmful ideology for such a long time . If it was not because of his campaign for the presidency , Obama is still sitting and nodding in that Church . This is a FACT! Why did Obama get away with it ? Media Bias , that''s why!

[stn_sage]

Posted by JoeAmerican at 08:45 PM : Jul 24, 2008
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I will agree with you on one point. Obama does at times appear to be standoffish, which is annoying. However, he is competent and we cannot afford another president who is any less than competent! After putting up with Bush all these years, I can tolerate ''attitude'' as opposed to incompetence---ANY DAY OF THE WEEK, my friend!

[cbsblogger]

McCain is more of McBush. Both are idiots. Bush was born one. McCain became one when he hugged Bush. I say this even though I supported Jogn McCain in 2000.

McCain was once intelligent and independent....now he is an old, forgetful and cranky Bush clone who wants more war for his military industrial complex, and more illegals for the US Chamber of Commerce.

We don''t need an old cranky war monger.

[alohaone1]

This Bias about Mcain not catching a break is pure Obamanism.

Why dont they tell the truth, the truth is Mccain was down in polls by 15 pts. At this Moment Mcain is trailing at an average of 4 pts. Obama is probably one of the worse candidates, because he should be 20 points ahead of Mccain when the Democrats should be winning this election overwhelmly. The problem is Obama is a mirage, an empty suit, someone who doesnt have one original thought. He can do great speeches, but what else has this phoney accomplished.

Ill I see Of Obama is his associates and friends.
Rev Wright, Bill Ayers, Rezko, the ISM, and Farakahn.

%u201CI can no more disown him than I can disown the black community,%u201D said Obama. So then it is clear that Obama believes that Wright%u2019s ideas represent the black community and black experience in America when they represent only the radicalized fringe of black America that wants to aid America%u2019s enemies abroad. It is doubtful many black Americans who served proudly in the US military feel the same as Wright on this issue.
%u2028


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Posted by Obama8years at 06:53 PM : Jul 24, 2008


right on my friend!!!